W. Aurora striker Stephens
aims for Indiana St. success
By Dave Owen
About the only way to stop West Aurora’s Audrey Stephens from scoring goals was to shut down the game of soccer.
Starting with a 17-goal freshman year (six of them game-winnersgoals), Stephens barely let up on the scoring barrage as her high school career went on.
Heading into 2020, she already ranked fourth on the school all-time scoring list with 45 goals and 16 assists.
Then came the delay and eventual cancellation of the season due to COVID-19.
And instead of anticipation of her final season at West Aurora as one of seven four-year varsity players, Stephens could only fast forward her sights towards her college future at Indiana State.
“I don’t think everything has fully hit me yet,” Stephens said of the lost spring of 2020. “But when it comes to soccer, I’m just thankful that I’m able to play four more years. That’s what I’m focusing on. Like ‘I have four more years, it’s OK.’”
Whether on the soccer field or in the classroom, Stephens has been much, much more than just OK.
“Audrey is the type of player who every coach dreams about having in their program,” West Aurora coach Laura Wagley said of Stephens, the Blackhawks’ team MVP in 2018 and 2019 and a three-time member of the conference all-academic team.
“She is the ideal student-athlete, but more importantly, she is a great person.
“Her maturity and selflessness have been her biggest assets,” Wagley added. “We all know how good she is, and when you pair that with the type of person she is, it’s hard to not enjoy coaching her.”
As a person and soccer player, Stephens had some great role models in parents Colm and Mary Ann and her older sister Katharine.
“I started (soccer) at about five years old,” Stephens said. “My dad (Colm) played soccer growing up and also played at Loyola, so it was him (that got me interested in soccer).
“I ran cross country and track in middle school, but once it came to high school, I just did soccer all year round.
“My sister and I always loved it,” Stephens added. “My dad tried us in other sports, and it was just not the same.
“He (Colm) still helps me a lot. After every game we talk about the game, he gives me some tips on what I could do to improve, and he also helped me a lot in the college recruiting process.”
And when it comes to Audrey’s instant-impact freshman season, sharing the experience with then-senior Katharine made 2017 extra special.
“It was really fun to play together,” Stephens said. “We both played forwards together, and it was just so much fun.”
It wasn’t so much fun for opposing defenses. While Audrey debuted with 17 goals, Katharine wrapped up her own stellar career at West Aurora with an 18-goal, nine-assist spring.
“All around it was so fun to be a part of that team that won regionals (in 2017),” Stephens said, “and won (at) the PepsiCo for the first time in program history.”
And come the postseason, Stephens enjoyed one memorable game that would top them all in her Blackhawks career.
“Definitely when we won regionals our freshman year,” she said. “Me being able to score the tying goal to have us go to PKs (in a regional final win over Naperville Central) is one that I’ll never forget.”
After West Aurora had finished 8-12-1 in 2016, the 2017 squad erupted to a school record for wins (18) that still stands.
“Looking back I am pretty surprised about that,” Stephens said. “Seven freshmen came in with me (on varsity), and we were all ready to go. We stepped in, and we were able to help West do those things. It was so great.”
Katharine (who had 62 goals and 29 assists in four seasons to rank second in scoring in West Aurora history) went on to her own college soccer career at Loyola, where she will be a senior this fall.
“We’re really close,” Stephens said, “and I just saw what she was going through during the (recruiting) process. She was going to different schools, talking to different people and trying to put herself out there. So that’s what I tried to do.”
Between her accomplishments at West Aurora and for the Team Chicago 2002 Elite club team, Audrey drew major attention. And Indiana State quickly emerged as her future destination.
“I committed last April,” said Stephens, who plans to major in criminology. “They (Indiana State) were at a couple of my Team Chicago club games in the fall (of 2018).
“They reached out to my coach (Team Chicago’s Phil Nielsen) and said they were interested. Then I went on an unofficial visit there, and I loved the coaches and loved the team and the campus. I just loved everything about it, so I committed a couple of months later. I’m really excited for next year.”
As exciting as future opportunities are, the West Aurora years will be hard to top.
The Blackhawks followed the breakthrough 2017 season with regional final appearances in each of the next two springs, including an 12-7-1 record last year.
And for Stephens, having a large core of classmates to share all three years with made it that much better.
“It was really nice to have a big group of girls that I knew even before high school,” she said. “I played club with (defender) Mackenzie Thompson, and the two (McPherson) twins (Kiara and Olivia) a long time ago, so we knew each other.
“That was really helpful and nice. And it was just so fun to play with them all.”
Whether it was playing alongside Katharine, 2018 graduate and current Illinois State player Riley O’Brien (34 goals, 62 assists in her West Aurora career) or her fellow seniors, Stephens and the Blackhawks offense wreaked havoc.
Last year, the squad was shut out just once and scored 49 goals in 20 games.
“We do a lot of offensive drills in practice, and I think that really helps us all work together,” Stephens said. “And just having the twins on either side of me, they’re just so good. They helped a lot with the offense.
“I think I got better over the years in high school. Playing club at Team Chicago helped me a lot, to just play against good competition. And when it comes to West, you’re not playing with them (your teammates) the whole year. At the beginning (of the season) it’s kind of hard to know how everyone plays. But it’s easy to do after awhile.”
When it came to her improvement, Stephens had praise for Team Chicago coaches Nielsen and Dave Lovercheck and West Aurora mentor Wagley.
“I’ve loved playing for her (Wagley),” Stephens said. “She’s a great coach and a great person, and she has definitely helped me grow and become more of a leader for this team.
“It’s so fun playing for your high school. Walking the hallways after you win a game, everyone’s like ‘Congratulations, I saw you guys won.’ It’s so fun hearing teachers and friends say that.
“It’s definitely a different game than club,” Stephens added, “but it’s still very competitive and so fun playing. And your club teammates play at different schools, so it’s so fun to play against them and see them.”
Stephens scored 11 goals (four game-winners) as a sophomore, helping West Aurora (9-7-2) overcome a sluggish start and win seven of its last nine games.
Then as a junior, she produced a career best 17-goal, nine-assist performance despite major attention from opposing defenses.
“She is our go-to player,” Wagley said. “She gets double-teamed almost every game, but she still finds a way to be a difference-maker.
“It doesn’t matter if she scores three goals or zero goals in a game, she is out there to win and make our program better.”
Stephens usually found a way to get results. The four hat-tricks and 13 game-winning goals in her career show that.
“You just have to keep trying,” Stephens said of her on-field mentality. “Not everything is going to go in or go your way.
“You have to change your style of the game depending on who you play. Sometimes you can just go to goal and score, sometimes at your back they’re pressuring you hard so you have to lay it off to someone. It just depends on who you’re playing really.”
Stephens will be playing against a virtually all new group of opponents at Indiana State. With at least one exception.
With the Sycamores and Loyola both in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Stephens sisters are scheduled to square off on opposite sides this fall.
“We haven’t really ever played against each other,” Stephens said, “and we’re both super-competitive. So, it’s going to be really competitive when we (Indiana State and Loyola) play.”
aims for Indiana St. success
By Dave Owen
About the only way to stop West Aurora’s Audrey Stephens from scoring goals was to shut down the game of soccer.
Starting with a 17-goal freshman year (six of them game-winnersgoals), Stephens barely let up on the scoring barrage as her high school career went on.
Heading into 2020, she already ranked fourth on the school all-time scoring list with 45 goals and 16 assists.
Then came the delay and eventual cancellation of the season due to COVID-19.
And instead of anticipation of her final season at West Aurora as one of seven four-year varsity players, Stephens could only fast forward her sights towards her college future at Indiana State.
“I don’t think everything has fully hit me yet,” Stephens said of the lost spring of 2020. “But when it comes to soccer, I’m just thankful that I’m able to play four more years. That’s what I’m focusing on. Like ‘I have four more years, it’s OK.’”
Whether on the soccer field or in the classroom, Stephens has been much, much more than just OK.
“Audrey is the type of player who every coach dreams about having in their program,” West Aurora coach Laura Wagley said of Stephens, the Blackhawks’ team MVP in 2018 and 2019 and a three-time member of the conference all-academic team.
“She is the ideal student-athlete, but more importantly, she is a great person.
“Her maturity and selflessness have been her biggest assets,” Wagley added. “We all know how good she is, and when you pair that with the type of person she is, it’s hard to not enjoy coaching her.”
As a person and soccer player, Stephens had some great role models in parents Colm and Mary Ann and her older sister Katharine.
“I started (soccer) at about five years old,” Stephens said. “My dad (Colm) played soccer growing up and also played at Loyola, so it was him (that got me interested in soccer).
“I ran cross country and track in middle school, but once it came to high school, I just did soccer all year round.
“My sister and I always loved it,” Stephens added. “My dad tried us in other sports, and it was just not the same.
“He (Colm) still helps me a lot. After every game we talk about the game, he gives me some tips on what I could do to improve, and he also helped me a lot in the college recruiting process.”
And when it comes to Audrey’s instant-impact freshman season, sharing the experience with then-senior Katharine made 2017 extra special.
“It was really fun to play together,” Stephens said. “We both played forwards together, and it was just so much fun.”
It wasn’t so much fun for opposing defenses. While Audrey debuted with 17 goals, Katharine wrapped up her own stellar career at West Aurora with an 18-goal, nine-assist spring.
“All around it was so fun to be a part of that team that won regionals (in 2017),” Stephens said, “and won (at) the PepsiCo for the first time in program history.”
And come the postseason, Stephens enjoyed one memorable game that would top them all in her Blackhawks career.
“Definitely when we won regionals our freshman year,” she said. “Me being able to score the tying goal to have us go to PKs (in a regional final win over Naperville Central) is one that I’ll never forget.”
After West Aurora had finished 8-12-1 in 2016, the 2017 squad erupted to a school record for wins (18) that still stands.
“Looking back I am pretty surprised about that,” Stephens said. “Seven freshmen came in with me (on varsity), and we were all ready to go. We stepped in, and we were able to help West do those things. It was so great.”
Katharine (who had 62 goals and 29 assists in four seasons to rank second in scoring in West Aurora history) went on to her own college soccer career at Loyola, where she will be a senior this fall.
“We’re really close,” Stephens said, “and I just saw what she was going through during the (recruiting) process. She was going to different schools, talking to different people and trying to put herself out there. So that’s what I tried to do.”
Between her accomplishments at West Aurora and for the Team Chicago 2002 Elite club team, Audrey drew major attention. And Indiana State quickly emerged as her future destination.
“I committed last April,” said Stephens, who plans to major in criminology. “They (Indiana State) were at a couple of my Team Chicago club games in the fall (of 2018).
“They reached out to my coach (Team Chicago’s Phil Nielsen) and said they were interested. Then I went on an unofficial visit there, and I loved the coaches and loved the team and the campus. I just loved everything about it, so I committed a couple of months later. I’m really excited for next year.”
As exciting as future opportunities are, the West Aurora years will be hard to top.
The Blackhawks followed the breakthrough 2017 season with regional final appearances in each of the next two springs, including an 12-7-1 record last year.
And for Stephens, having a large core of classmates to share all three years with made it that much better.
“It was really nice to have a big group of girls that I knew even before high school,” she said. “I played club with (defender) Mackenzie Thompson, and the two (McPherson) twins (Kiara and Olivia) a long time ago, so we knew each other.
“That was really helpful and nice. And it was just so fun to play with them all.”
Whether it was playing alongside Katharine, 2018 graduate and current Illinois State player Riley O’Brien (34 goals, 62 assists in her West Aurora career) or her fellow seniors, Stephens and the Blackhawks offense wreaked havoc.
Last year, the squad was shut out just once and scored 49 goals in 20 games.
“We do a lot of offensive drills in practice, and I think that really helps us all work together,” Stephens said. “And just having the twins on either side of me, they’re just so good. They helped a lot with the offense.
“I think I got better over the years in high school. Playing club at Team Chicago helped me a lot, to just play against good competition. And when it comes to West, you’re not playing with them (your teammates) the whole year. At the beginning (of the season) it’s kind of hard to know how everyone plays. But it’s easy to do after awhile.”
When it came to her improvement, Stephens had praise for Team Chicago coaches Nielsen and Dave Lovercheck and West Aurora mentor Wagley.
“I’ve loved playing for her (Wagley),” Stephens said. “She’s a great coach and a great person, and she has definitely helped me grow and become more of a leader for this team.
“It’s so fun playing for your high school. Walking the hallways after you win a game, everyone’s like ‘Congratulations, I saw you guys won.’ It’s so fun hearing teachers and friends say that.
“It’s definitely a different game than club,” Stephens added, “but it’s still very competitive and so fun playing. And your club teammates play at different schools, so it’s so fun to play against them and see them.”
Stephens scored 11 goals (four game-winners) as a sophomore, helping West Aurora (9-7-2) overcome a sluggish start and win seven of its last nine games.
Then as a junior, she produced a career best 17-goal, nine-assist performance despite major attention from opposing defenses.
“She is our go-to player,” Wagley said. “She gets double-teamed almost every game, but she still finds a way to be a difference-maker.
“It doesn’t matter if she scores three goals or zero goals in a game, she is out there to win and make our program better.”
Stephens usually found a way to get results. The four hat-tricks and 13 game-winning goals in her career show that.
“You just have to keep trying,” Stephens said of her on-field mentality. “Not everything is going to go in or go your way.
“You have to change your style of the game depending on who you play. Sometimes you can just go to goal and score, sometimes at your back they’re pressuring you hard so you have to lay it off to someone. It just depends on who you’re playing really.”
Stephens will be playing against a virtually all new group of opponents at Indiana State. With at least one exception.
With the Sycamores and Loyola both in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Stephens sisters are scheduled to square off on opposite sides this fall.
“We haven’t really ever played against each other,” Stephens said, “and we’re both super-competitive. So, it’s going to be really competitive when we (Indiana State and Loyola) play.”